Brazil Lobbies for Punishment of the Colombian Player Who Injured Neymar

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s soccer federation is pressing FIFA to punish the Colombian player whose tackle caused the injury that has sidelined Brazil’s top player, Neymar, for the rest of the World Cup.

Neymar sustained a lumbar vertebra fracture when he was kneed in the back by Colombia defender Juan Camilo Zúñiga late in a quarterfinal match Friday. Brazil won the game, 2-1, but announced afterward that Neymar would miss the rest of the tournament. His injury has infuriated Brazilians. Late Saturday, the Brazilian federation, known by the acronym C.B.F., presented evidence — presumably video and supporting documentation — to FIFA’s disciplinary committee and demanded action.

The committee is responsible for any potential supplementary discipline; Zúñiga was called for a foul but did not receive a yellow card on the play. Neymar fell to the turf in obvious pain and was carried from the field on a stretcher, and the Brazilian news media has breathlessly reported on his injury since it happened. Zúñiga told reporters after the match that he considered the play “a normal challenge as part of the game.”

“We both wanted to win the ball, and we both went in a little strong,” Zúñiga said in Spanish, adding, “I certainly didn’t go into the challenge hoping to fracture his back.”

The game’s referee, Carlos Velasco Carballo, has also come under heavy criticism for the tenor of the match, which had 54 fouls, the most in this World Cup. FIFA said Velasco Carballo would be evaluated through the normal review processes for each game, but any potential punishment may be little more than the loss of more assignments at this World Cup.

The C.B.F. also asked the disciplinary committee to consider an appeal of a yellow card issued to Brazil’s captain, Thiago Silva, in the Colombia match.

The card was Silva’s second of the World Cup, meaning he is suspended for Brazil’s semifinal against Germany. It appeared highly unlikely that FIFA would overturn the ban.

DI MARÍA OUT FOR SEMIFINAL Argentina’s campaign to reach its first World Cup final since 1990 took a setback as midfielder Ángel di María was ruled out for a semifinal against the Netherlands.

Di María injured his right thigh, the Argentine coach Alejandro Sabella said, in the first half of Saturday’s quarterfinal win against Belgium before leaving the game.

Argentina’s team physician, Daniel Martinez, said on Sunday that tests revealed a Grade 1 strain of di María’s thigh. His status beyond the semifinal was not known.

Di María, who had formed a dangerous partnership with forward Lionel Messi during the World Cup, is a significant loss. He was on the receiving end of a brilliant run and pass from Messi to score the lone goal in Argentina’s win over Switzerland in the Round of 16.

But Argentina did receive some good news on Sunday. Sergio Agüero, who also suffered a thigh strain, was cleared to play in the semifinal.

DAVID WALDSTEIN

DUTCH GOALKEEPER APOLOGIZES Goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen apologized to his Dutch teammates and coaches for his sideline outburst after he was replaced before the end of Saturday’s quarterfinal win over Costa Rica, Dutch news media reported.

Tim Krul came in as a substitute just minutes from the end of extra time because Coach Louis van Gaal thought Krul would be the better goalkeeper for the shootout.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the day and location of the Brazil-Colombia match. It was played on Friday in Fortaleza, not on Saturday in Brasilia. An earlier version of the picture caption with this article misspelled the city that Neymar is from. It is Guarujá, not Guaruya.

Greeted With Open Arms: Thousands of fans turned out for the homecoming
of Colombia’s national team. President Juan
Manuel Santos sent a message thanking the team
“for so much joy and for teaching us how to dream.”

A version of this article appears in print on , Section D, Page 4 of the New York edition with the headline: Brazil Lobbies for Punishment of the Colombian Player Who Injured Neymar. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe